I have been renovating my apartment since January and failing my reading goals because of that. To help a bit, I have grabbed every poetry book I could find in my to-read pile, as they can more easily be read in short bursts between painting walls and building furniture. So here are my renovation-foggy thoughts on four very different books of poetry.
Peace Of Wild Things by Wendell Berry
The poems of Wendell Berry invite us to stop, to think, to see the world around us, and to savour what is good. Here are consoling verses of hope and of healing; short, simple meditations on love, death, friendship, memory and belonging; luminous hymns to the land, the cycles of nature and the seasons as they ebb and flow. Here is the peace of wild things.
I read Wendell Berry’s essay collection The World-Ending Fire a few years ago and liked it a lot. The essays were thoughtful, beautifully written and instantly transport the reader to Berry’s Kentucky farm. His love for nature and our planet shines through every word he writes. The same is true for the poems. Simple, short and sweet. Some are about the appreciation of nature, others reflecting the fear of the destructive power of mankind. But all in all more on the positive side and a great summer read.
You Better Be Lightning by Andrea Gibson
You Better Be Lightning by Andrea Gibson is a queer, political, and feminist collection guided by self-reflection. The poems range from close examination of the deeply personal to the vastness of the world, exploring the expansiveness of the human experience from love to illness, from space to climate change, and so much more in between. One of the most celebrated poets and performers of the last two decades, Andrea Gibson’s trademark honesty and vulnerability are on full display in You Better Be Lightning, welcoming and inviting readers to be just as they are.
It is the most recently published of the bunch and I got very confused reading about the pandemic. Took me a second to remember it has been almost five years since the first Covid cases. The poems were mostly quite long, the kind of long where they sometimes lost momentum for me. But as I got familiar with Gibson’s style, I got more into it. The poems are honest, sometimes heartbreaking and often relatable. The ones I liked, I liked a lot, but most of the book didn’t leave too much of an impact on me.
The Odyssey of Star Wars: An Epic Poem by Jack Mitchell
Journey to a galaxy far, far away like never before—through lyrical verse and meter. Like the tales of Odysseus and Beowulf, the adventures of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Jyn Erso, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Vader, and the Emperor are fraught with legendary battles, iconic heroes, fearsome warriors, sleek ships, and dangerous monsters. Beginning with Rogue One’s rebel heist on Scarif to secure the plans to the Death Star and continuing through the climax of Return of the Jedi, author Jack Mitchell uses the ancient literary form of epic poetry to put a new spin on the Star Wars saga.
Punctuated with stunning illustrations inspired by the terracotta art of Greek antiquity, The Odyssey of Star Wars: An Epic Poem presents the greatest myth of the 20th century as it would have been told nearly 3,000 years ago.
Last year for my birthday I got a total of three gifts – all Star Wars themed. Yes, I like Star Wars, but the high point of that was about 10 years ago and nowadays I am actively obsessed with new things. So it’s kind of sad that my friends haven’t noticed a change in 10 years … but I digress. This epic poem was much fun. Firstly I like the book design, the uncut page edges and the illustrations add a nice vibe to it. The poem is a retelling of the original trilogy – well written and with some fun side remarks to the main story peppered in there.
Ariel: The Restored Edition by Sylvia Plath
When Sylvia Plath died, she not only left behind a prolific life but also her unpublished literary masterpiece, Ariel. When her husband, Ted Hughes, first brought this collection to life, it garnered worldwide acclaim, though it wasn’t the draft Sylvia had wanted her readers to see. This facsimile edition restores, for the first time, Plath’s original manuscript—including handwritten notes—and her own selection and arrangement of poems. This edition also includes in facsimile the complete working drafts of her poem “Ariel,” which provide a rare glimpse into the creative process of a beloved writer. This publication introduces a truer version of Plath’s works, and will no doubt alter her legacy forever.
I read and loved The Bell Jar years ago and it took me way too long to get to Plath’s poetry. But I have to confess, it was not for me. And I really can’t say why – the poems just didn’t ‘click’ with me.